A month or so ago I saw a YouTube post from a Mike at Hubtunes who posted a few videos with the theme called Rock & Roll High School – 5 Records From My High School Years.  I liked the theme but decided to limit myself to 10 records from the year I graduated from high school.  I graduated from high school in June 1979.  So here are just 10 albums (sticking to vinyl only) that were released during 1979.  And maybe a little story with each of them. You can watch my YouTube video following this list.

AC/DC – Highway to Hell – I don’t recall where or when I bought this but it was released on July 27, 1979.

The B-52s – B-52s – the album was released on July 6, 1979 and we partied quite a lot to this album. We would park out by a secluded pond or on some farmland in the middle of nowhere and put this cassette on and jump around. Rock Lobster, Planet Claire and more to pogo to.

Billy Thorpe – Children of the Sun – Released in 1979, I remember buying this album on a day trip to San Antonio from the church resort, Mo Ranch, I was working at the summer of 1979. I had heard the song Children of the Sun on the radio.

The Knack – Get the Knack – Released June 11, 1979. I don’t have any story about this one. I might’ve bought it from a store or I might’ve got it from Columbia House Record Club. It’s a good album with My Sharona and Good Girls Don’t.

Mother’s Finest – Mother’s Finest Live – released in 1979, I bought this album for my best friend’s birthday and he was not happy. He had bought me Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland for my birthday, or maybe Christmas, and he felt that Mother’s Finest was not in the same league as what he bought me. His loss. I think MF is pretty damn good mister of funk and rock.

The Offenders – We Must Rebel – The Offenders were a local band from Killeen Texas formed in 1978. We, my band at the time, hung out with the bass player Mikey and the drummer Pat and sometimes the guitar player Tony. They were cool dudes and we were in awe the they had released an album. This album came out in 1979, I don’t care what Discogs says, and I bought it at a local record store, Renaissance Records. Drummer Pat Doyle went on to play in metal band Ignitor and open for big name acts.  Ignitor is still a band releasing albums.

Pink Floyd – The Wall – Released on November 20, 1979, I don’t recall when or where I got this album but I do remember seeing this movie stoned. I lived on Fort Hood and it cost $1.25 I believe to see this. A late night showing if I recall.

Rickie Lee Jones – Rickie Lee Jones – released February 28, 1979, I love this album. I bought it because of Chuck E.’s In Love but I love the whole album. I recently read her biography and it explains the meaning of a lot of the lyrics and songs on this album.

Sammy Hagar – Street Machine – released in September 1979, I listened to this album a lot.  I mean a lot. I know the lyrics of every song on this album and can play many on the guitar. Songs like Growing Pains, Trans Am, Feels Like Love and Wounded in Love are just as good today as they were back in 1979.

Scorpions – Lovedrive – released in February of 1979, another great album that I listened to constantly. What a great cover and a great album.  The Scorpions were notorious for having risqué album covers – see Virgin Killer.

If you want to see me actually talk a bit more about these albums, watch the video below or head over to my YouTube channel for more content – @retirementainteasy